Blog

It’s amazing how time flies - the two month run of the John Thomson Exhibition is almost over. The last day is this coming Saturday 23 June - doors close for the final time at 5pm. If you haven’t already made plans to see this exhibition of large print, detailed photos of the people and landscape of Old China and Siam, you can still make it if you go in ...Read More

Multimedia author and exhibition video blogger, Yang-May Ooi, talks about the special section of the John Thomson Exhibition dedicated to the women of Old China. There's still time to catch the John Thomson Exhibition if you act fast! The exhibition closes 23 June 2018 so you have a week left to go and see it at the Brunei Gallery in London - it's free. In this video, I share my ...Read More

Did John Thomson take the first ever selfie? In honour of Thomson’s creative legacy, we invite you to take a selfie at the John Thomson Exhibition - the co-curators will judge the selfies and the winner will receive a prize! Read on to find out more… Street photographer John Thomson took many photos of people in the streets of Old China during his travels there in the 1860s. In one ...Read More

Modern expert on China and fluent Mandarin speaker, Luise Schafer OBE, shares her personal view of John Thomson’s photographs of China during the 1860. Luise writes: When I first learnt of the John Thomson China photographs from Betty Yao, the co-curator, I was very excited. As a China hand, with a keen in interest in Chinese culture, history and society, I felt an exhibition of such a unique collection would ...Read More

It's hard to believe that the John Thomson Exhibition opened two months ago with a buzzy launch party. The time has whizzed by and there's only 2 and a half weeks left of the exhibition! Here is a lively slideshow of the celebrities and other photography lovers who came along to the John Thomson Exhibition launch party. Click through to view each photo. Created with flickr slideshow. It was great ...Read More

Linda Tsang is an English-born journalist of Chinese heritage who grew up in Scotland. In this thoughtful essay for the John Thomson Exhibition blog, she shares her personal view of John Thomson’s connection with China and Scotland. Linda writes: Long before the smartphone, here is someone who was essentially taking camera equipment the size of a small fridge and numerous heavy glass slides to the most remote areas of East ...Read More

Art history fan My Phuong Lecocq talks to video blogger Yang-May Ooi about travel photographer John Thomson's portraits of people in Old China, in particular his photos of women, which remind her of Annie Liebovitz's portraits in our modern era. Watch the interview here Come to the John Thomson Exhibition Exhibition: China and Siam – Through the Lens of John Thomson Venue: Brunei Gallery, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, London WC1H 0XG, ...Read More

Art historian Marine Cabos discusses the value of John Thomson’s photographs in the context of the history of China and the history of photography as well as their value for collectors at art auctions A Lifelong Passon for China and Photography I have a background in Chinese studies and history of art. For a long time, I have personally felt passionate about Asian civilizations and analogue photography. My father used ...Read More

Photography writer and historian Deborah Ireland gives us an insight into Victorian photographer John Thomson’s far-reaching influence on other famous Victorian writers such as Isabella Bird as well as on film and TV design today. Deborah writes: John Thomson is one of the great photographers in the history of photography and his connection with The Royal Geographical Society spanned fifty-five years. John Thomson’s Influence on 20th Century Film & TV ...Read More

Founder of Thai publishing house Riverbooks and co-curator of the John Thomson Exhibition in London, Narisa Chakrabongse, sits down with video blogger Yang-May Ooi to talk about John Thomson's photographs of Siam (Old Thailand). We are delighted to have had the chance to talk with Narisa Chakrabongse in between her international travels between Thailand and the UK. In this video blog, Narisa shares her love of John Thomson's images of ...Read More